Area Drilling

Australia

Santos Ltd., Adelaide, has a new pool gas discovery in the Cooper/Eromanga basin at the first of four wells being air drilled to evaluate low permeability zones.

The Swan Lake 1 ST, in the South Australia sector of the basin, flowed 8.2 MMcfd of gas on a 1/2 in. surface choke from Permian Toolachee at 2,493-2,592 m. Well data have provided a number of follow-up drilling opportunities on the Swan Lake structure.

Swan Lake field is on the Merrimelia-Innamincka Block 6 km east of Meranji gas field and 30 km north of Moomba production facilities.

Marine seismic activity the first 9 months of 1996 is the second highest on record.

More than 245,000 line km of offshore data have been acquired, one third more than in 1995, said the Bureau of Resource Sciences. A large survey in the Ashmore-Cartier Islands region of the Timor Sea contributed about 40% of the 1996 figure. Operators drilled 38 offshore wells, eight fewer than in the same period of 1995.

China

China National Offshore Oil Corp. let a PSC to Occidental Petroleum Corp. and Texaco Inc. 50-50 covering Block 9/18 in western Bohai Bay.

Texaco will operate the 2,340 sq km block in 10-20 m of water. Following a one year geological study, Occidental concludes that the concession block is highly prospective. Texaco holds 100% interest in adjacent Block 11/19.

Bohai is China's next offshore E&P hot spot. Now 11 PSC contracts are in operation. Cnooc plans to drill more than 10 cooperative wildcat wells in the sea area.

Four oil and gas fields are producing in Bohai Bay. Production this year is expected to reach 2 million metric tons of crude oil and 400 million cu m of natural gas.

Bohai slates seven fields for development next year. They are SZ 36-1 oil field, Qinhuangdao 32-6 oil field, Jinzhou 9-3 oil field, Boxi 2-7 oil field, Phase II project of Jinzhou 20-2 gas field, CFD 18-2 oil field, and Phase II project of Boxi oil field.

New Zealand

Kupe gas field in the Taranaki basin off New Zealand could be on production as early as 1999 instead of 2002, says New Zealand Oil & Gas.

It said Western Mining Corp.'s decision to quit its interest in the field could lead to development sooner.

New Zealand's largest undeveloped petroleum discovery, has proved reserves of 209 bcf of gas and 11 million bbl of condensate and oil. Probable and possible reserves are 153 bcf and 11.2 million bbl.

A spur for earlier development is advancement of the depletion date for giant Maui field to 2005, as several large industries depend on these gas reserves.

Kupe is being reassessed for initial condensate/oil stripping with gas reinjection until demand begins to rise during the middle years of the next decade. On this basis, Kupe could be on stream before the end of the century.

Philippines

Socdet Production Pty. Ltd. of Australia and Philodrill Corp., Manila, let a contract to Schlumberger Geco-Prakla for a 3,500 sq km 3D project in the Palawan basin. Geco calls this Asia's largest 3D seismic program.

Data will be available for licensing by yearend 1997. As many as 20 companies, some in consortia, are expected to participate in the group shoot, Geco said.

Georgia

Operators are in various stages at two wildcats in the state.

Atlantic Oil & Gas, Jesup, Ga., is at about 3,200 ft at its 1 Royal, in Dooly County 8-1/2 miles east of Pinehurst. The well, projected to 4,500 ft, was spudded in June 1996.

Entrepreneur Joe P. Davis of Jesup reported 100 ft of wood at 2,200 ft. Current plan is to sidetrack around a broken drillstem at 3,200 ft starting in late December.

Meanwhile, Surface Exploration Services, Garland, Tex., was preparing to spud 1 McNair et al., in Turner County, targeted to 16,000 ft (OGJ, Dec. 2, Newsletter).

New Mexico

Mallon Resources Corp., Denver, expects to complete more than 50 wells in 1997 to develop low risk, high potential acreage in the Delaware and San Juan basins.

The company has completed 10 wells/year the past 3 years.

Most recent completion is the 1-10 Black River Fed. Com., in Eddy County. It flowed 6.7 MMcfd of gas on a 23/64 in. choke with 1,660 psi FTP from Pennsylvanian Morrow perforations at 11,340-430 ft. CAOF is 18 MMcfd. A second productive formation in upper Morrow is behind pipe.

Texas

South

Union Pacific Resources is drilling a planned dual lateral well to Cretaceous Austin chalk at the southwestern end of the trend.

The 1 BFMT, in Webb County 40 miles south of giant Pearsall oil field, is directed at the chalk at 10,700 ft true vertical depth, Petroleum Information reported. The site is 21/2 miles southwest of the county's only Austin chalk production, a gas well completed in 1965.

Copyright 1996 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.